S. Abigail McCarrel, LCSW, DCSW

“The pre-frontal parts of the brain responsible for a child’s impulse control will ideally mature between the ages of 5 to 7 for most kids, or 7 to 9 years for more sensitive ones,” she says. “Until the 5 to 7 shift occurs giving rise to more sophisticated brain integration, a young child will have little to any braking capacity when stirred up emotionally.”